The present invention relates generally to the remote activation of a system diagnostic for a customer. The invention relates more particularly to the activation of a system diagnostic which may also include correction and optimization as needed, wherein such activity would most typically be performed after normal work-day hours.
As large systems, both electrical systems but more particularly electro-mechanical systems, have become more complex there has been an ever increasing incidence of support problems for those systems. With these systems being installed at customer sites, system breakdowns and repair support are considered disruptive to the customers business. As a result, many such complex systems are being provided with self diagnostic capabilities. The initiation of such diagnostics may be from interaction with the customer, by a service representative, a remote actualization, or even as automatically scheduled and provided within the system. Of course, there is a necessity of cost associated with the development, deployment and initiation of such diagnostics. A cost which ultimately is born by the customer. However, some customers may balk at such costs. One approach is to offer such diagnostics as optional, though at additional cost to a customer. As such diagnostics are disruptive, the best arrangement is to schedule them in the evening outside of typical user operating hours. However, there can be a conundrum for the most successful machines which may seldom require outside service particularly in situations where automated diagnostics with self-repair or self-alignment capability are involved. That conundrum is a fear on the part of the customer of paying for a service which is not received or not even actually needed. The better and more successful the diagnostic and machine design the greater the likelihood of this perception by the customer.
The following patents are considered relevant background art: U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,099 to Ohtani, wherein an image forming apparatus includes, a network interface for connecting the image forming apparatus to a network as a network terminal, an electronic mail communication control unit for communicating an electronic mail with another network terminal through said network interface, a memory for storing an address of a predetermined network terminal, a sensor for detecting an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus, a controller for producing the electronic mail according to the address stored in the memory, and wherein the electronic mail communication control unit sends an electronic mail produced by the controller to the predetermined network terminal when the sensor detects an abnormal condition such as when the sensor detects a paper jam, toner empty and paper-out.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,760 to Nickerson, wherein a transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of job information, based on the processing of a print job in a printing system, is provided. The control system includes a document generating subsystem for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to a print machine and a user interface for programming a set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station. The transmission job originating station further includes a control subsystem which, in response to the processing of at least a portion of the print job at the printing machine, reads the set of information and determines each confirmation destination, programmed with the user interface, to which the job information is to be transmitted.
The above noted patents are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for their teaching.
Therefore, as discussed above, there exists a need for a design arrangement which will solve the problem of improving customer perception and also allowing for greater opportunity for human interaction or intervention with automated diagnostics in the customer environment. Thus, it would be desirable to solve this and other deficiencies and disadvantages as discussed above with an improved automated diagnostic methodology.